List of the first LGBT holders of political offices

This is a list of political offices which have been held by a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender person, with details of the first holder of each office. It should only list people who came out as LGBT before or during their terms in office; it should not list people who came out only after retiring from politics, or people who were outed by reference sources only after their death.

The year in brackets refers to the year which the officeholder was elected as an openly LGBT person. If he or she came out during term of office it is referred to after the year in brackets.

It is ordered by country, by dates of appointment. Former countries are also to be listed.

International bodies

European Union

European Commission

European Commissioner for Trade: Peter Mandelson - 2004 (British)

European Parliament

Austria: Ulrike Lunacek - 2009
Denmark: Torben Lund - 1999-2005
Germany: Lissy Gröner
Italy: Gianni Vattimo - 1999
Netherlands: Herman Verbeek (PPR) - 1984
Spain: José María Mendiluce Pereiro (PSOE-later joined the Greens) 1999-2004 - came out 2003
United Kingdom: Michael Cashman - 1999

Americas

Argentina

First gay congressperson: Senator Osvaldo López - July 27, 2011 (married to another man^[1]).
First gay deputy to the Buenos Aires City Legislature: María Rachid - Elected, taking office on December 10, 2011.

Brazil

First transgender elected (Alderperson): Kátia Tapety - Colônia do Piauí - 1992
First transgender vice-mayor: Kátia Tapety - 2004
Federal Deputy: Clodovil Hernandez - 2006
Leo Kret - 2008.^[2]
Federal Deputy: Jean Wyllys - 2010 (considered the first openly gay activist)^[3]

Canada

First openly gay political candidate, regardless of electoral status: Robert Douglas Cook - 1979
First transgender candidate, regardless of electoral status: Jamie Lee Hamilton^[4] - 1996
First openly gay person elected to office: Raymond Blain (Montreal City Council), 1986
Member of Parliament:
- Male: Svend Robinson - elected 1979, came out in 1988
- Female: Libby Davies - elected 1997, came out in 2001
- Already out at first election: Bill Siksay - 2004
Senator:
- Male: Laurier LaPierre - 2001
- Female: Nancy Ruth - 2005
Mayor of large city: Glen Murray (Winnipeg) - 1998 (world's first)
Leader of a federal political party: Chris Lea (Green) - 1990
Federal cabinet minister: Scott Brison - 2004
Provincial cabinet minister:
- Male: Tim Stevenson (British Columbia) - 2000
- Female: Kathleen Wynne (Ontario) - 2006
Leader of a provincial party: Allison Brewer (New Brunswick New Democratic Party) - 2005
Leader of a provincial party with seats in a legislature: André Boisclair (Parti Québécois) - 2005
Deputy Premier of a province: George Smitherman (Ontario) - 2006
Provincial legislators:
- British Columbia: Tim Stevenson
- Manitoba: Jim Rondeau
- Ontario: George Smitherman, 1999
- Quebec: André Boulerice
- Newfoundland and Labrador: Gerry Rogers, 2011
City councillor in Vancouver:
- Male: Gordon Price - 1986
- Female: Ellen Woodsworth - 2002
City councillor in Winnipeg: Glen Murray - 1989
City councillor in Toronto:
- Male: Kyle Rae - 1991
- Female: Kristyn Wong-Tam - 2010
City councillor in Edmonton: Michael Phair - 1992
City councillor in Ottawa: Alex Munter and Stéphane Émard-Chabot - 1994
City councillor in Saskatoon: Lenore Swystun - 2000

Mexico

Member of Congress:
- Male: David Sánchez Camacho - 2006
- Female: Patria Jiménez - 1997

United States

Main article: List of the first LGBT holders of political offices in the United States

Europe

Austria

Member of Parliament: Ulrike Lunacek - 1999

Belgium

Prime Minister, Elio di Rupo (PS) (first male gay prime minister in the world)
Member of Parliament, Party president and Minister-President of the Walloon Region, Elio di Rupo (PS) - came out in 2001
Member of the Flemish Government, Pascal Smet (SP.A) - came out in 2009

Czech Republic

Member of the Government: Gustáv Slamečka - Minister of Transport (2009 - 2010)
Member of the Senate: Václav Fischer (1999 - 2002)

Denmark

Member of Parliament:
- Female: Yvonne Herløv Andersen^(da) - 1998 she was also MP a few terms during the 70's and 80's, but not as openly lesbian.
- Male: Torben Lund^(da) - 1998 came out in February 1998 while still an MP.

Finland

Member of Parliament: Pekka Haavisto - 1987
Member of the Government: Minister of the Environment: Pekka Haavisto - 1995
Member of Parliament: Oras Tynkkynen - 2004

France

Member of Parliament: André Labarrère^(fr) (1928–2006) - came out 1998^[5]
Mayor of Paris: Bertrand Delanoë - came out 1998, elected 2001^[6]
Government Member: Roger Karoutchi, Secretary of State for relations with parliament - came out 2009^[7]

Germany

Member of Parliament:
- Male: Herbert Rusche - 1985
- Female: Jutta Oesterle-Schwerin - 1987
Leader of a major political party: Guido Westerwelle (FDP) came out 2004
Mayors:
- Berlin: Klaus Wowereit - 2001
- Hamburg: Ole von Beust - 2001
Member of Government:
- Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister: Guido Westerwelle (FDP), since 2009

Hungary

Member of Government:
- Secretary of State for Human Resources: Gábor Szetey came out 2007
Klára Ungár,^(hu) politician

Iceland

Prime Minister: Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir (2009, first in the world)

Ireland

Senator:
- Male: David Norris (University of Dublin) - 1987
- Female: Katherine Zappone (Taoiseach's nominee) - 2011
County Councillor: Peter Kelly (Cork County Council)^[8] - 1999^[9]
Town Councillor: Malcolm Byrne (Gorey Town Council)^[10] - 1999
Member of Parliament (TD): Dominic Hannigan (Meath East) and John Lyons (Dublin North–West) - both elected at the 2011 general election

Italy

Member of Parliament:
- Male: Angelo Pezzana^(it) - 1983
- Male: Nichi Vendola - 1992
- Male: Daniele Capezzone, bisexual - 2006
- Female: Titti De Simone^(it) - 2001
- Female: Paola Concia - 2008
- Transgender: Vladimir Luxuria - 2006
Member of the government:
- Minister for Agriculture: Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio - 2000 came out later 2000 - again Minister of Environment in 2006 (bisexual)
President of Region:
- President of Apulia: Nichi Vendola - 2005

Lithuania

Member of Parliament: Rokas Žilinskas^(lt) - 2008^[11]

Netherlands

Member of Parliament:
- Male: Coos Huijsen^(nl) (CHU) - came out 1977
- Female: Evelien Eshuis^(nl) (CPN) - 1982
Member of Government:
- Male: Minister of Economic Affairs: Joop Wijn (CDA) - 2006
- Male: Minister of Finance: Jan Kees de Jager (CDA) - 2010
- Female: Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food: Gerda Verburg (CDA) - 2007
- (note: Ien Dales' (PvdA, Minister of the Interior) sexual orientation was only revealed after her death)

Norway

Member of Parliament:
- Female: Wenche Lowzow - 1977-1985 came out 1979, reelected 1981
- Male: Anders Hornslien - came out 1994
Member of Government:
- Minister of Finance: Per Kristian Foss - 2001-2005
City council chairman of Oslo: Erling Lae - 2000-2009

Poland

City councillor, and first openly LGBT holder of any office: Krystian Legierski - 2010
First openly gay member of parliament: Robert Biedroń - 2011^[12]
First openly transsexual member of parliament: Anna Grodzka - 2011^[13]

Portugal

Member of Parliament:
- Male: Miguel Vale de Almeida - 2009–2010

Spain

Member of the Cortes: Jerónimo Saavedra Acevedo (PSOE) - Has been a member of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate since 1977 until 2004 with some interruptions - came out 2000
Autonomic President: Jeronimo Saavedra Acevedo, President of the Canary Islands 1983-1987 and 1991–1993
Member of Government:
- Minister of Public Administrations and of Education and Science: Jerónimo Saavedra (Public Administrations, 1993–1995 and of Education and Science 1995-1996)
Mayor of a Provincial Capital: Jerónimo Saavedra, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Incumbent since 2007
Member of the Parliament of Catalonia when openly gay: Miquel Iceta PSC, since 1999
Transgender town councillor: Manuela Trasobares (ARDE) 2007 - at Geldo, Castellon

Sweden

Member of Parliament:
- Male: Kent Carlsson (politician)^(sv) (s) - came out 1991, died in 1993
- Female: Elisebeht Markström (s) - came out publicly in 2006
Member of Government:
- Minister of the Environment: Andreas Carlgren (c) - 2006
- Minister of Migration Affairs: Tobias Billström (m) - 2006 (bisexual)

Switzerland

Member of Parliament:
- Male: Claude Janiak - elected 1999 - speaker of House of Representatives 2006
- Female: Doris Stump - elected 2003
Mayor of a large city:
- Female: Corine Mauch - elected 2009 - Mayor of Zurich (largest city in Switzerland), first openly gay mayor of a large Swiss city

United Kingdom

Main article: List of the first LGBT holders of political offices in the United Kingdom

Africa

South Africa

Member of Parliament: Mike Waters - 1999
High Court Judge: Edwin Cameron - 1995
Constitutional Court Justice: Edwin Cameron - 2008

Asia

Israel

Member of Knesset (Parliament): Uzi Even (elected 2003)
City councillors:
- Tel-Aviv: Michal Eden (elected 1998), Itai Pinkas (first gay man; elected 2003)
- Jerusalem: Saar Nathaniel (elected 2003)

Japan

Osaka

Prefectural assembly member (Lesbian): Kanako Otsuji - 2005

Tokyo

Ward councillor (Transgender): Aya Kamikawa (Setagaya) - 2003
ward councillor (Gay male): Taiga Ishikawa (Toshima) and Wataru Ishizaka (Nakano) - both elected 2011

Nepal

Constituent Assembly Member: Sunil Babu Pant - 2008

Oceania

Australia

Senator:
- Male senator: Bob Brown - 1996
- Female senator: Penny Wong - 2002
Member of Government:
- Minister for Climate Change and Water: Penny Wong - 2007
State MPs:
- Australian Capital Territory: Andrew Barr - 2006
- New South Wales: Paul O'Grady came out 1990 (Legislative Council), Bruce Notley-Smith - 2011 (Legislative Assembly)
- South Australia: Ian Hunter - 2006
- Tasmania: Bob Brown - 1983
- Victoria: Andrew Olexander - 1999
- Western Australia: Giz Watson - 1997
- State or territory cabinet minister: Andrew Barr - 2006
Justice of the High Court of Australia:
- Male: Michael Kirby came out 1999
- Female: Virginia Bell (2009)

Guam

Member of Legislature: Benjamin Cruz - 2004
Supreme Court Justice: Benjamin Cruz - 1997, Chief Justice 1999-2001 (came out 1995)

New Zealand

Member of Parliament:
- Female: Marilyn Waring (National) 1975–1984 (outed during office)
- Female: Maryan Street (Labour) 2005–Present (outed before office)
- Male: Chris Carter (Labour) 1993–Present
- Transsexual: Georgina Beyer (Labour) 1999-2007 (world's first)
Cabinet Minister:
- Male: Minister of Conservation, Minister of Ethnic Affairs, Minister of Local Government, Minister for Building Issues, Minister of Education and Minister Responsible for the Education Review Office: Chris Carter (Labour) 2002-8
- Female: Minister of Housing and Minister of ACC: Maryan Street (Labour) 2007-8
Transsexual mayor: Georgina Beyer (Labour) 1995-1999 (world's first)

References

^ http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1392757-asume-hoy-el-primer-senador-gay-del-pais Asumió el primer senador gay casado del país
^ http://terramagazine.terra.com.br/interna/0,,OI3060231-EI6578,00-Leo+Kret+Quero+ser+presidenta+do+Brasil.html
^ http://www.estadao.com.br/estadaodehoje/20101008/not_imp622222,0.php
^ Peace River Block News Dawson Creek, BC; 1995 December 15, page 8.
^ "Roger Karoutchi revele son homosexualite". Le Monde. 2009-01-23. http://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article/2009/01/23/roger-karoutchi-revele-son-homosexualite_1145938_823448.html#xtor=RSS-3208.
^ "Psychiatric tests for anti-gay attacker". BBC News. 2002-10-07. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2305849.stm. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
^ http://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article/2009/01/23/roger-karoutchi-revele-son-homosexualite_1145938_823448.html
^ O’Riordan, Seán (2006-04-05). "Fine Gael to elect new council leader". Irish Examiner. http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2006/04/05/story901079391.asp. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
^ "People > K > Peter Kelly". electionsireland. http://www.electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=6141. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
^ http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/cruel-smear-campaign-by-rivals-wont-beat-me-says-gay-ff-councillor-126048.html
^ [1]
^ 2011 parliamentary election results: http://wybory2011.pkw.gov.pl/wyn/pl/000000.html#tabs-1
^ 2011 parliamentary election results: http://wybory2011.pkw.gov.pl/wyn/pl/000000.html#tabs-1